there's always bank notes in a sealed envelope, sent at your own risk... I assume Kovid has an address!

And maybe he doesn't want to give it to the whole world. Listen, I agree that PayPal is scum, etc. so if you don't want to deal with them, then... don't. But don't turn around and demand that every vendor/tip jar/auctioneer on the Internet start accommodating you by accepting credit cards, or giving up their home addresses, etc.

PP is the universe they have chosen to deal with. They accept the downsides, they appreciate the upsides. As a user with money, you can take steps to minimize your exposure to PP security risks, and you can minimize your use of the service while holding your nose. If you won't do that much, I don't see how you can demand much more of your potential correspondents.